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The Latest News from Virtual Eye -a world leader in real-time 3D Sports Graphics.en-GBVirtual Eye - January 2018http://virtualeye.tv/the-news/253-virtual-eye-january-2018
Virtual Eye Golf, in partnership with Topgolf ® Toptracer, were at the first of 23 PGA Tour events we'll be covering this year in the USA, the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines in San Diego. The PGA Tour work comes in addition to Virtual Eye's regular January of European Tour coverage, the Eurasia Cup in Kuala Lumpur, the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship and the Omega Dubai Desert Classic.

Virtual Eye Cricket also juggled concurrent fixtures, covering the New Zealand vs West Indies T20 series and the ODI series versus Pakistan at different venues in New Zealand, while also providing our tracking and infographics for the final Australia vs England Ashes Test and the subsequent ODI series in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth.

The Volvo Ocean Race 2017-18 continued with Leg 4 of 11, from Melbourne to Hong Kong, a 5600 nautical mile voyage. Virtual Eye is providing 3D broadcast graphics, 3D race tracking in the browser and also via Mobile App for the duration of the Volvo Ocean Race 2017-18.

]]>Super UserMon, 29 Jan 2018 10:29:36 +1300http://virtualeye.tv/the-news/253-virtual-eye-january-2018Virtual Eye - December 2017http://virtualeye.tv/the-news/252-virtual-eye-december-2017
In December, Virtual Eye showed the bathymetry of the North Shore of Oahu, Hawaii, for the World Surf League Billabong Pipe Masters. Virtual Eye Cricket team 1 began December covering the 2nd Ashes test in Adelaide, while Cricket Team 2 were in Wellington providing our tracking and infographics for the 1st test between New Zealand and the West Indies. Team 2 were then in Hamilton, Whangarei, Christchurch and Nelson covering the series of test matches, One Day Internationals and T20i matches between the two nations. Cricket Team 1, in the meantime, saw out the year covering the Third Ashes test in Perth and the Fourth Test in Melbourne.

Melbourne was also the destination of the Volvo Ocean Race teams, having begun the month with Inport Racing in Cape Town before heading into the Southern Ocean for Leg 3 to Australia. Virtual Eye is providing 3D broadcast graphics, 3D race tracking in the browser and also via Mobile App for the duration of the Volvo Ocean Race 2017-18.

A Virtual Eye view of the bathymetry of the North Shore of Oahu, Hawaii, for the World Surf League Billabong Pipe Masters.

]]>Super UserMon, 15 Jan 2018 07:48:31 +1300http://virtualeye.tv/the-news/252-virtual-eye-december-2017Virtual Eye - November 2017http://virtualeye.tv/the-news/251-virtual-eye-november-2017
Among the sports events we covered this month, we also found time to visualize the AC75 boat concept for Emirates Team New Zealand and Luna Rossa. The AC75 class, to be sailed in the 36th America’s Cup, is a bold and modern vision for high performance fully foiling monohull racing yachts. Leg2 of the Volvo Ocean Race 2017-18, from Lisbon to Cape Town, also took place in November, with Virtual Eye again delivering 3D broadcast graphics, 3D race tracking in the browser and also via Mobile App.

The Virtual Eye Cricket team set up shop at The Gabba in Brisbane to supply our ball-tracking and graphics package to Channel Nine for the first Test in the Australia vs England Ashes series - and our serial globetrotters, the Virtual Eye Golf team, covered the Turkish Airlines Open in Antalya, the Nedbank Golf Challenge in Sun City and the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai.

Above:“Once foiling, the AC75 has the potential to be faster than an AC50 both upwind and downwind.” Grant Dalton

]]>Super UserThu, 30 Nov 2017 08:00:00 +1300http://virtualeye.tv/the-news/251-virtual-eye-november-2017Virtual Eye - October 2017http://virtualeye.tv/the-news/249-virtual-eye-october-2017
Competitors in the Volvo Ocean Race 2017-18 are being tracked by Virtual Eye from the start in Alicante (October 22nd), through to the finish line in the Hague in June 2018. At 45,000 nautical miles, this is the longest course in the history of the race. As well as our well-known realtime 3D broadcast graphics, we are again also delivering tracking for the browser and via Mobile App for the duration of the Volvo Ocean Race 2017-18.

The Virtual Eye Golf team also globe-trotted throughout October, supplying our tracking and graphics at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship in Scotland, followed by the Italian Open at Olgiata GC, the Andalucia Valderrama Masters in Spain and the WGC-HSBC Champions at Sheshan International GC in Shanghai, China.

Above: With three times more Southern Ocean racing than in previous editions, and stops in 12 iconic cities around the globe, the 2017-18 route looks set to be one of the most memorable yet.

]]>Super UserTue, 07 Nov 2017 12:34:21 +1300http://virtualeye.tv/the-news/249-virtual-eye-october-2017Virtual Eye - September 2017http://virtualeye.tv/the-news/248-virtual-eye-september-2017
Every week in September had the Virtual Eye Golf team covering a tournament in a different European country. The month teed off with the D+D Real Czech Masters at Albatross Golf Resort in Prague, followed by the Omega European Masters at Crans-Sur-Sierre GC in Switzerland. The team then provided our tracking and graphics at the KLM Open in the Netherlands, the Portugal Masters at Oceanico Victoria GC, and the British Masters at Close House GC by Newcastle upon Tyne.

Over recent years, Sailing has seen the emergence of new platforms for audiences (and teams) to follow a Regatta with. The 52 Super Series has embraced new media, so that not only do we provide broadcast TV graphics for them, but also bring our tracking and graphics technology to bear on the browser (http://www.52superseries.com/live/) and with the Official 52 Super Series App for Android and iOS. The season finale took us to the island of Menorca for a thrilling 6 Race Regatta over 5 days, with Azzura winning both the event and the 2017 52 Super Series.

Above: A 52 Super Series video promo for the Official 52 Super Series App

]]>Super UserWed, 25 Oct 2017 12:50:25 +1300http://virtualeye.tv/the-news/248-virtual-eye-september-2017Virtual Eye - August 2017http://virtualeye.tv/the-news/247-virtual-eye-august-2017
The Virtual Eye Golf team supplied our graphics services at five tournaments in August, beginning with the Womens British Open Championship at Kingsbarns Golf Links in Scotland. Next up was the US PGA Championship at the Quail Hollow Club in North Carolina, where we use Trackman’s ball-tracking capabilities on tee shots within a 3D hole model while simultaneously showing the golfer hit the tee shot; and while also providing flyover animations to give a second-shot perspective once the ball comes to rest (see video from the 2016 PGA).

Ken Aagaard, EVP of innovation and new technology at CBS Sports, says "We’re very excited to have [ARL/Virtual Eye] on a lot more holes this year because it adds a whole other dimension. As a production tool, it’s a great way to be able to show the viewer where the ball is going, and it gives you a place to be able to illustrate some of the new data we have, like ball speed, arc, and distance, which are really cool. And we’re now able to do it in a way that fits right into the broadcast, which is what’s most exciting for me: when we can put a technology into the broadcast and it feels normal, that means we’re not forcing anything in. It adds a lot of production value; that’s always been our goal."

The rest of August saw our Golf operators at the Saltire Energy Paul Lawrie Matchplay tournament in Germany, the Made in Denmark tournament at Himmerland Golf & Spa, and the D+D REAL Czech Masters at the Albatross Golf Resort in Prague. Virtual Eye Sailing also provided graphics and tracking at the 2017 Rolex Fastnet Race from England to Ireland and back, 605 nautical miles covered by 400+ boats, the largest offshore race on the planet.

]]>Super UserWed, 06 Sep 2017 10:53:08 +1300http://virtualeye.tv/the-news/247-virtual-eye-august-2017Virtual Eye - July 2017http://virtualeye.tv/the-news/245-virtual-eye-july-2017
Our Virtual Eye Golf operators started the month at the US Open Seniors in Massachusetts and the Open de France in Paris, before heading to the UK for the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open at Portstewart GC, the AAM Scottish Open at Dundonald Links and The Open Championship at Royal Birkdale. These tournaments were followed by The Senior Open Championship at Royal Porthcawl GC in Wales and the Porsche European Open at Green Eagle Golf Course in Hamburg, Germany. Virtual Eye Sailing supplied live broadcast and web coverage of the 5th event on the 52 Super Series calendar, the Puerto Portals Sailing Week off the island of Mallorca, Spain.

Above: A Virtual Eye Golf Viewer screenshot of the 18th at Royal Birkdale, during the 146th Open Championship.

]]>Super UserFri, 04 Aug 2017 07:35:40 +1300http://virtualeye.tv/the-news/245-virtual-eye-july-2017Virtual Eye - June 2017http://virtualeye.tv/the-news/244-virtual-eye-june-2017
Golf and Sailing, two of the signature spectator sports enhanced by Virtual Eye's real-time graphics, kept everyone at Virtual Eye very busy this past month. Our Golf operators continued their globetrotting ways, attending the Nordea Masters in Sweden, the Lyoness Open in Austria, the US OPEN in Wisconsin, the BMW International Open in Germany, the US OPEN Seniors in Massachusetts, and the Open de France in Paris.

Our Sailing operators and tech staff were already at the America's Cup Qualifiers and Challenger Playoffs in Bermuda when the month began, providing broadcast, mobile and onsite services which included the Official AC+ App, 3D real-time tracking graphics, broadcast infographics, 360 video aboard AC50s, onsite touchscreen installations, grinding simulators and sailing simulators. Inbetween America's Cup Match races, we also found time to cover the RedBull Youth America's Cup in Bermuda, and the 52 Super Series in Porto Cervo, Italy.

Richard Gladwell from Sail-World NZ met Virtual Eye CEO Ian Taylor aboard the ferry back to Hamilton, Bermuda at the end of a day's America's Cup racing. Putting on the Samsung Gear headset Ian was carrying, Richard watched a 3D Video clip of Emirates Team New Zealand's Louis Vuitton Semi-Final race against Land Rover BAR. The application is the latest development from Virtual Eye, whose tracking and 3D graphics for broadcast TV has been extended into a multitude of platforms and devices from mobile phones to PC's and smart TV's.

It provides a stunning 360 view of what it is like to sail aboard an AC50, sitting in the centre of the wingsailed catamaran close to the aft crossbeam. The 360VR camera pack consists of eight GoPro's - with one looking up, two looking down and five covering a 360degree horizontal radius - and was 3D printed at Virtual Eye's Dunedin offices. Read the full story at www.sail-world.com

]]>Super UserFri, 23 Jun 2017 08:57:02 +1300http://virtualeye.tv/the-news/243-360vr-in-bermudaVirtual Eye - May 2017http://virtualeye.tv/the-news/241-virtual-eye-may-2017
Mid-May saw Virtual Eye Sailing in Scarlino Italy, covering the Rolex TP52 World Championship Scarlino 2017. Meanwhile, Virtual Eye Golf set up shop in the U.K., supplying graphics and tracking at the BMW PGA Championships at Wentworth Club. The America's Cup Qualifiers and Challenger Playoffs began in Bermuda on the 27th, and Virtual Eye is there for the duration of the 35th America's Cup.

Virtual Eye is also aiming to put you on-board an America's Cup boat. Recently, Radio New Zealand interviewed Virtual Eye CEO Ian Taylor, who described some of the challenges the company faced. "In Bermuda we're doing all the stuff that you'd normally expect, the tracking, the computer graphics, the mobile app... but the thing that's got us all excited is the potential for 360 VR. Imagine it, being on the back of one of those things flying at close to 50 knots, with another one chasing you... unbelievable. So we've had to build our own multi-camera rigs to go on the boats, get permission from the America's Cup people to put them on the boats, and there's so much data coming off the boats that we've had to design a whole logistical system as well."

Virtual Eye Systems Manager, John Jenkins, adds: "As a race starts a crew member pushes a button to start all the cameras simultaneously , they record for the duration of their battery life. When the race is finished we grab the unit off the boat, download the data from the cards and process it with our own software. We're hoping to have finished 360 video available within a 3 hour timeframe. There are rigs around that you can do this with, but we're hoping to get better quality stitching and a lot more definition in the video. We've built 2 units for the America's Cup... on the lead-up races we'll be testing the units, the America's Cup people will decide which boats they go on ultimately."

Above: A 360 degree video test, early on in the development cycle - onboard an AC45F with Oracle Team USA during the LVACWS event in Chicago 2016. (Watch on YouTube)

]]>Super UserThu, 01 Jun 2017 10:38:00 +1300http://virtualeye.tv/the-news/241-virtual-eye-may-2017Virtual Eye - March 2017http://virtualeye.tv/the-news/240-virtual-eye-march-2017
In March, Virtual Eye Sailing set up shop in Florida for Miami Sailing Week, covering the Star Sailors League 2017 Bacardi Cup and the 52 Super Series Miami Royal Cup events. Meanwhile, Virtual Eye Cricket covered the New Zealand vs South Africa ODI and Test series in Napier, Auckland, Dunedin, Wellington and Hamilton. The Virtual Eye Golf team covered the ISPS Handa New Zealand Golf Open at Millbrook Resort and The Hills, and congratulates Michael Hendry, the first Kiwi to claim the title since 2003 after a three-way playoff.

Above: Virtual Eye at the 2017 Bacardi Cup

]]>Super UserSun, 02 Apr 2017 12:24:50 +1300http://virtualeye.tv/the-news/240-virtual-eye-march-2017Virtual Eye - February 2017http://virtualeye.tv/the-news/239-virtual-eye-february-2017
Virtual Eye Cricket posted a great run-rate in February, starting with coverage of New Zealand vs Australia One Day Internationals (ODIs) in Napier and Hamilton. The lads then split into two teams to handle 3 dates where matches were being played on the same day, one covering Australia vs Sri Lanka ODIs in Melbourne, Geelong and Adelaide, while the other covered New Zealand vs South Africa ODIs in Auckland, Hamilton and Christchurch. The Virtual Eye Golf Team provided tracking and graphics at the Omega Dubai Desert Classic in Dubai at the start of the month, and the World Super 6 in Perth midway through February.

As part of Virtual Eye's gearing up for the 35th America's Cup (starting May 26), we provided a visualization of the Cup Village in Bermuda to the America's Cup Event Authority. The village is located in the Royal Naval Dockyard on the westernmost end of the island, and will be the prime viewing location for the racing taking place on Bermuda's Great Sound.

Above: First look at the 35th America's Cup Village in Bermuda.

]]>Super UserMon, 06 Mar 2017 08:42:21 +1300http://virtualeye.tv/the-news/239-virtual-eye-february-2017Virtual Eye - January 2017http://virtualeye.tv/the-news/238-virtual-eye-january-2017
Virtual Eye Cricket carried the bat throughout January, supplying our ball-tracking and graphics package for Channel 9 coverage of the One Day Internationals (ODI) and Test series between Australia and Pakistan in Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth and Adelaide. We also supplied our ball-tracking and graphics for Sky Sports coverage of the ODIs and Test series between New Zealand and Bangladesh in Napier, Mt. Maunganui, Wellington, Christchurch and Auckland.

Virtual Eye also supplied yacht-tracking and graphics over television and the web and on mobile for the first Sailing event on our 2017 calendar, the Quantum Key West Race Week - the first regatta of the 52 Super Series 2017. The Virtual Eye Golf team began their season covering the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship and the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters at Doha GC in Qatar.

Above: During the 2016/17 Summer of Cricket, we have trotted out a number of improvements to our graphics package - one of the most notable is incorporating PitchScan™ (by Sports Technology Solutions), which can measure and quantify areas that crack on a Cricket pitch.

]]>Super UserTue, 07 Feb 2017 09:24:40 +1300http://virtualeye.tv/the-news/238-virtual-eye-january-2017Virtual Eye - December 2016http://virtualeye.tv/the-news/237-virtual-eye-december-2016
The Virtual Eye Golf team wound up their 2016 season at the Australian PGA Championship at RACV Royal Pines Resort, and the Hong Kong Open at Hong Kong GC in Fan Leng. Virtual Eye Cricket started the month in full swing with One Day Internationals between Australia and New Zealand in Sydney, Canberra and Melbourne. The ODIs were followed in quick succession by test matches between Australia and Pakistan in Brisbane and Melbourne, and ODIs between New Zealand and Bangladesh in Christchurch and Nelson.

Above: A Virtual Eye flyover of the 18th at Hong Kong GC, venue for the UBS Hong Kong Open 2016.

]]>Super UserThu, 19 Jan 2017 09:34:06 +1300http://virtualeye.tv/the-news/237-virtual-eye-december-2016Virtual Eye - November 2016http://virtualeye.tv/the-news/236-virtual-eye-november-2016
November marked the beginning of Virtual Eye's annual Cricket season, supplying info-graphics and ball-tracking of the Australia vs South Africa test series in Perth, Hobart and Adelaide. The team also covered the New Zealand vs Pakistan test series in Christchurch and Hamilton.

Meanwhile, Virtual Eye Golf brought their magic to the Turkish Airlines Open in Antalya, the Nedbank Golf Challenge in Sun City, the World Cup of Golf in Melbourne and the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai. In addition to covering the tournament in Dubai, producing 360 degree tutorial videos by professional golfers was another service Virtual Eye provided.

Above: Rafael (Rafa) Cabrera-Bello gives us a quick putting tutorial in 360 degrees. If this video doesn't play as expected, try watching it on YouTube here.

]]>Super UserThu, 01 Dec 2016 12:33:48 +1300http://virtualeye.tv/the-news/236-virtual-eye-november-2016Virtual Eye - October 2016http://virtualeye.tv/the-news/235-virtual-eye-october-2016
The final regatta of the 52 Super Series 2016 was the Cascais Cup, with Virtual Eye Sailing again providing real-time broadcast graphics, live and historical 3D race tracking at 52superseries.com, and the Official 52 Super Series App. Congratulations to cup winner Azzurra, and overall series champions Quantum Racing.

The Virtual Eye Golf team began the month covering the Ryder Cup at Hazeltine National Golf Club in Minnesota, before a quick trip across the Atlantic to the Alfred Dunhill Championship in Scotland and the British Masters at the Grove, Hertfordshire. The Portugal Masters at Oceanico Victoria and the WGC-HSBC Champions tournament at Sheshan International in Shanghai completed the team's 32,000 kilometres of travel for the month.

Above: A Virtual Eye view of the seventh hole at Hazeltine National Golf Club, venue for the 2016 Ryder Cup

]]>Super UserTue, 01 Nov 2016 08:38:11 +1300http://virtualeye.tv/the-news/235-virtual-eye-october-2016Virtual Eye - September 2016http://virtualeye.tv/the-news/234-virtual-eye-september-2016
The two major September sailing events on the Virtual Eye calendar were the 52 World Championship in Menorca and the America's Cup World Series regatta in Toulon, for which we supplied not only broadcast graphics but also mobile coverage via the Official America's Cup App and the 52 Super Series App. The Virtual Eye Golf team teed off the month covering the Omega European Masters at Crans-Sur-Sierre Golf Club in Switzerland, before heading to the Netherlands for the KLM Open and the Italian Open at Golf Club Milano. The end of September saw the team working their magic at Hazeltine National Golf Club, Minnesota for the Ryder Cup.

Above: A montage of Virtual Eye graphics from the livestream of Race 9 of the 52 World Championship, held in Menorca. Live Streaming was by RealTV and the commentators are Andi Robertson and Feargal Finlay

]]>Super UserTue, 04 Oct 2016 08:15:40 +1300http://virtualeye.tv/the-news/234-virtual-eye-september-2016Virtual Eye - August 2016http://virtualeye.tv/the-news/233-virtual-eye-august-2016
Virtual Eye Golf knocked off a tournament a week in August, beginning with the Saltire Energy Paul Lawrie Matchplay event at Murcar Links GC in Aberdeen, Scotland. Next up on our calendar was the Olympics Mens Golf Competition on a purpose-built course in Rio de Janeiro , followed by the D+D Real Czech Masters at Albatross Golf Resort in the Czech Republic, before ending the month covering the Made in Denmark Open at Himmerland Golf & Spa Resort in Farsø.

]]>Super UserTue, 06 Sep 2016 15:15:19 +1300http://virtualeye.tv/the-news/233-virtual-eye-august-2016Virtual Eye - July 2016http://virtualeye.tv/the-news/232-virtual-eye-july-2016
July began and ended with Virtual Eye Sailing covering the sixth season of the 52 Super Series, with events in Porto Cervo in Italy and Puerto Portals in Spain. Mid-month the Sailing team were supplying our tracking and graphics at the America's Cup World Series event in Portsmouth, England.

Virtual Eye Golf started the month at the Alstom Open de France, before heading to Scotland for the AAM Scottish Open at Castle Stuart and the 145th Open Championship at Royal Troon, finishing July covering the PGA Championship at Baltusrol GC in New Jersey, USA.

Our recent advances in golf graphics were first put to use at the NZ Open in Arrowtown this year. R&D funding from Callaghan Innovation enables small companies like ours to bring these technologies to market, and compete on the world stage against much larger data visualization suppliers.

Above: Advances in our graphics technology for Golf coverage again proved a big hit with both media and spectators, in particular "the Slab" - talk of the town at The Open Championship.

Above: A montage of TNT broadcast graphics during the 2016 PGA Championship at Baltusrol GC. (In the U.S.A, Virtual Eye is known as GolfTrax)

]]>Super UserMon, 01 Aug 2016 11:48:09 +1300http://virtualeye.tv/the-news/232-virtual-eye-july-2016Virtual Eye - June 2016http://virtualeye.tv/the-news/231-virtual-eye-june-2016
In June we continued our coverage of the UIM XCAT World Series at the Lugano Grand Prix in Switzerland, the Louis Vuitton America's Cup World Series event in Chicago, and the 52 Super Series Audi Settimana delle Bocche regatta in Porto Cervo.

Virtual Eye Golf were at the Nordea Masters at Bro Hof Slott in Stockholm, the Lyoness Open at Diamond GC in Atzenbrugg and the BMW International Open at Golf Club Gut Laerchenhof in Pulheim.

The major event of the month was the 116th U.S. Open at the Oakmont Country Club, and Virtual Eye brought along some new tricks in addition to our traditional graphics package. From new splitscreen graphics to leaderboard and terrain overlays to 3D course models in-studio, Virtual Eye has raised the sports coverage bar even higher. The month ended with the departure of our general manager Sophie Luther, who takes up a new position with the good folk at Treble Cone Ski Area. All the best, Sophie!

Above: A montage of some of the latest developments in our golf graphics, in use at the 2016 U.S Open at the Oakmont Country Club, June 2016.